Pulsator



July 29, 1924. 1,503,279

L. NIXON FULSATOR Filed Nov. 17 1922 WITNESSES: INVE NTOR.-

Leroy jYzxon,

TTORNEYS.

FEE-tented July 29, 1924.

NT FFlQ.

LEROY NIXON, OF EASTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

PULSATOR.

Application filed November 17, 192?. Serial No. 601,517.

zen of the United States, and a resident of Easton, in the county of Northampton and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pulsators, whereof the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to devices ordinarilyknown as pulsators adapted for pneumatic actuation and useful in instances where intermittent pumping action is de sirable in transmission of fluids, either in liquid or gaseous forms. One of such instances where the use of a device of this character is particularly advantageous, is in connection with apparatus for milking animals, and I have, by way of exemplification and convenience of illustration herein, shown a pulsator especially designed for this purpose, although it will be readily apparent from subsequent disclosure, that the principle of my invention may be employed with equal advantages in other instances of practical use as hereinbefore implied.

One object of my invention is to provide a device of the character described wherein the air line and the fluid lines are. absolutely isolated from one another so that the fluid being transferred is positively insured against contamination such as would be likely to occur in the event of cross leakage.

Other objects are to secure in devices to which my invention pertains, increased efficiency in operation; greater simplicity of construction with freedom from possible derangement in the course of continued usage, also, incident-ally, ease of disassembling for cleaning and replacement purposes; and to render the actions of the mov ing elements of the device as well as the flow of the fluid at all times visible to the eye.

Other objects and attendant advantages of my invention will be readily understood from the detailed description which follows, and its scope as readily comprehensible from the appended claims. A

In the drawings, Fig. I is a sectional illustration of a pulsator device typifying my invention; and

Fig. II is a similar view of a slightly modified form of my invention.

Referring first to the structure shown in Fig. I, it will be observed that my improved pulsator includes a casing 1 comprising a main section or member 2 which is tubular in form and made of transparent material, preferably glass, for a purpose to be presently noted. The section 2 afi'ords what may be termed for convenience a displacement chamber 3 which is closed at the top end by a cap member 4, and at the bottom by a generally similar cap member 5.

The top cap member 4 is domed as at 6- in axial relation to the intermediate tubular casing section 2, and is provided with an integral, tubular, lateral extension 7 serviceable as a nipple for attachment of a flexible connection (not shown) and affords a port for communication with a pneumatic pump capable of producing alternate suction and pressure pulses.

Disposed within the displacement chamber 3 is a pulsating element 8 made of comparatively thin, flexible or elastic material, such for example as rubber, and therefore capable of responding to the action of the pneumatic pump aforesaid in being alternately inflated and deflated. The pulsating element 8, it will be further observed, has a closed bottom and conforms in configuration to that ofthe interior of the casing 1 and, when expanded, completely fills the displacement chamber as shown. A marginal portion at the upper open end of the pulsating element is engaged between the contiguous end of the casing section 1 and the cap member 4, the latter being provided in its under face as shown, with an annular receiving groove or seat 9 forthis purpose. A number of bolts 10 operative between the cap members 4 and 5 serve to maintain assemblage of the composite casing, a proper drawing of the nuts 11, insuring fluid tightness at the top of the casing where the marginal portion ofthe pulsating element 8 is interposed, and also at the bottom, where a resilient gasket 12 serves in a similar capacity, said gasket, together with the lower end of the transparent casing section 2, being accommodated to prevent relative axial displacement, in a.recess 13 in the upper face of the cap member 5.

The fluid which is to be transferred may be conducted from a supply source to the displacement chamber 3 of the device by way of a'suitable flexible connection (not shown) attachable to a nipple 14 extending laterally from the cap member 5.

' fluid ports and is When used in connection with milking apparatus, I prefer to mount the devlce d1- rectly upon the cover of a receiving pa1l or bucket, a portion of such cover being indlcated at 15. To this end, thelower casing member 5 is provided with an axial extension or neck 16 of a somewhat reduced diameter for reception within the axial aperture of an embossment 17 of said cover, and with incidental formation of an annular supporting shoulder 18. Any appropriate means may be employed to secure the devlce in place, such as for example a bayonet lock construction with projections 19 adapted to underlap an inwardly extending flange 2O of the cover 15, said flange being interrupted at intervals to permit ready withdrawal of the device by slight rotative movement. The fluid being pumped is discharged from the displacement chamber 3 through apertures 21 in the horizontal base web 22 of the casing member 5, efliux being automatically controlled by a flexible flap check valve 23 which is centrally pierced for engaging a headed axial projection 24: of the web and thus retained in place.

The operation of the pulsator may be briefly described as follows:

When the pulsating element 8 is-deflated in responding to the action of the pneumatic pump, a vacuum is created within the displacement chamber 3 since the flap valve 23 will function at this time to hold the discharge apertures 21 closed. As a result of this, fluid will be drawn into the chamber 3 through the port of the nipple 14. The fluid thus drawn into the device will be expelled from the displacement chamber 3 by the next succeeding inflation of the element 8, the same being free to flow through the discharge apertures 21 through enforced yielding of the valve flap 23. It is to be especially noted that by virtue of its position in the device, the pulsating element 8 acts as an obstruction and therefore as an absolute seal against cross leakage between the air and fluid lines thus insuring the fluid against contamination which might otherwise ensue through exposure to, or co-mingling with the air. Furthermore, it is to be observed that the pulsating element 8 functions as a closure alternately for the air and designed .to collapse completely as indicated in dot and dash linesin the illustration so that a volume of fluid equal substantially to the full capacity of the displacement chamber is transferred at each actuation. Moreover the structural simplicity of the device facilitates ready disassem bling for cleaning as well as for replacement of any of the parts and insures absolute reliability in operation.

Generally speaking, both as to construction and operation, the modified form of my invention shown in Fig. II is identical with that just described and corresponding parts have therefore been identified with similar reference characters. The difference between the two is really a matter of relative proportioning of the parts, the intermediate transparent section of the casing being in this instance of about half the height of the equivalent elementof the first described embodiment, while the cap member 4 is correspondingly lengthened by addition of a cylindrical extension 25 in axial alignment with said intermediate section 3 so that the capacity of the displacement chamber 3 is unaltered. As before, the margin about the upper open end of the pulsating element 8 .is clamped between the section 3 and the cap member 4 in fluid tight relation through the clamping action of the bolts 10. This modified proportioning however imposes a vertical shortening of the pulsating element 8 thus avoiding the necessity for complete 001- lapsing of said element as in the former instance. Instead, said element, in yielding to the suction impulse of the actuatin pneumatic pump, is bodily drawn to the idiot and dash line position indicated in the drawing. The results achieved and the operation of the alternative embodiment of my invention it will at once be apparent, remain the same as already described and therefore need not be repeated.

In both embodiments of my invention, the transparency of the casing section permits observation of the action of the pulsating element 8 and also the flow of the fluid being pumped. ,The latter of these considerations is, as well known to those skilled in the use of such apparatus, of prime importance in protecting the animal against in ury.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

1. A device of the character described including a displacement chamber adapted for connection to a pneumatic actuator and also to the supply source of fluid to be pumped, and. a complelnental flexible member spanning said chamber and serving open and close the air and fluid lines and aving capacity to respond to the pneumatic actuator in the performance of a pumping action.

2. A device of the character described comprising a displacement chamber with ports for communication, respectively, with a pneumatic actuator and a supply source of fluid to be pumped, and a flexible member spanning the'chamber and alternately opening and closing the ports aforesaid in responding to the action of the pneumatic actuator.

3. A device of the character described comprislng a displacement chamber, and a complemental flexible member spanning said chamber adapted to be deflated and inflated to open and close the air and fluid lines thereby creating conditions of rarification and pressure in alternation within the chamber for fluid pumping.

4. A device of the character described comprising a displacement chamber, and a complemental hollow pulsating element spanning said chamber of comparatively thin flexible material adapted to open and close the air and fluid lines thereby creating conditions of rariflcation and pressure in alternation within the chamber for fluid pumping, saidelement having a capacity equal to that of the displacement chamber so that a maximum charge of fluid is displaced at each actuation.

5. A device of the character described comprising a displacement chamber, and a complemental flexible cylindrical member adapted to open and close the air and fluid lines thereby creating conditions of rarification and pressure in alternation within the chamber for fluid pumping, and a valve capable of yielding under pressure to per mit discharge of the fluid from the displacein ent chamber.

6. A device of the character described including a casing comprising an intermediate tubular section of transparent material afl'ording a displacement chamber, and

cap members closing opposite ends of the tube, said cap members having nipples for connection, respectively, to a pneumatic actuator and to a supply source for fluid to be pumped; in combination with a complemental flexible member spanning the displacement chamber and adapted to openand close the air and fluid lines by responding to the pneumatic actuator aforesaid in draw-. ing in, and expelling fluid from said displacement chamber, said element bein cylindrical in correspondence with the 0 amber, closed at one end, and having a peripheral margin about its open end clamped in fluid tight relation between the intermediate tubular casing section and one of the cap members.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of a transparent tubular section, nippled. cap members therefor, one of which is provided with a non-return flexible valve, a complemental flexible pulsating element housed within the tubular section and having the marginal portion engaging one end thereof, and means operative between the cap members for clamping the tubular section and said cap members in fluid-tight connection.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania this 13th day of November, 1922.

LEROY NIXON.

Witnesses:

LEO P. STUBER, DANIEL J. Fnrrcn, Jr. 

